Prof. Dr. Christoph Weber | Energy Economics
Personal Details
Professor Weber studied mechanical engineering from 1983 to 1989 with a focus on energy technology at the University of Stuttgart. Then, he worked for one year in development aid in Cameroon. Between 1991 and 2004, he was academic assistant in the Institute of Energy Industry and National Energy Application (IER) of the University of Stuttgart, and from 1999 to 2004 he was Head of the Division of Energy Application and energy management in the IER. He received his Ph.D. in 1999 from the University of Hohenheim with a thesis on "Consumer behaviour and Environment". He earned his postdoctoral lecturer qualification from the University Stuttgart in 2004 with a thesis on "Models for decision support under uncertainty in the electricity industry". In October 2004 he was appointed as a full professor at the University of Duisburg-Essen to hold the chair of energy industry.
Teaching
The field includes a detailed description and analysis of energy markets and the related specifications for business decisions in these markets. Within the scope of the study the relevant concepts from energy economics, environmental economics, resources economics and regulation economics are discussed, and different approaches, which thoroughly treat practical questions, are discussed. The courses have high theoretical and practical requirements. The sector of energy industry makes extensive use of scientific knowledge in this field. Upon completion of the courses the students are able to follow relevant scientific discussions. The methods discussed here can be applied in practice. A big part of the presented knowledge and the shown methods are used and implied in the practice of energy companies.
Research
The research focus of the chair of Energy Industry is on energy production, conversion, distribution and utilization. In addition to business management approaches knowledge of other disciplines like economics, engineering and social science is also considered. The emphasis is on questions which are relevant for companies in the competitive environment.
The chair of energy industry concentrates its research activities on:
- Energy and risk management in competitive energy markets
- Portfolio Management
- Price models for spot markets and futures markets
- "Integral Earnings at Risk" - Assessment of investments under uncertainty
- Power plant investments and network investments
- Real option model
- Peak-load pricing - Cost-efficient integration of renewable energies
- System integration of wind energy, fuel cells, etc.
- Stochastic modelling and optimization - Functional competition in energy markets
- For example, markets for regulating energy and balancing energy
- Game theory modelling
- "Robust markets?" - Energy demand and energy application
Professor Weber has authored numerous scientific publications which appeared in refereed journals like the European Journal for Operations Research, European Transactions on Electrical Power, Magazine for Energy Business, Wind Energy, European Power System Research, Energiewirtschaftliche Tagesfragen (Energy Business Issues), International Journal of Global Energy Issues, Energy, Applied Energy, Transportation, Energy Policy, International Transportation, Journal of Economic Systems Research, and others.